Cabinet construction

ABSTRACT

A cabinet construction having improved foam stop means extending between the liner and outer cabinet panels at the end of the space in which insulation is foamed in place during the manufacture of the cabinet construction. The foam stop means is defined by a flexible foam strip extending between the liner and cabinet walls and disposed between spaced flanges on the liner and cabinet walls at the outer end of the foam space. The foam strip serves to seal the insulation space during the foaming process and subsequently accommodates expansion and contraction stresses as a result of temperature variations to which the cabinet may be subjected, without overstressing of the cabinet walls.

United States Patent Besing 5] Oct. 28, 1975 CABINET CONSTRUCTION 3,684,342 8/1972 Jansen 312/214 75 Inventor: Wa ne L. Besin Evansvill Ind. I y 6 Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gllham [73] Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Assistant Examiner-Carl F. Pietruszka Harbor, Mlch- Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hof'gren, Wegner, Allen, 22 Filed: Sept. 7, 1973 Stenma [21] Appl. N0.: 395,636 [57] ABSTRACT A cabinet construction having improved foam stop [52] US. Cl. 312/214; 220/9 F means extending between the liner and outer cabinet [51] Int. Cl. F25D 23/08 anel at the end of the space in which insulation is Field of Search 220/9 F foamed in place during the manufacture of the cabinet construction. The foam stop means is defined by a References Cited flexible foam strip extending between the liner and UNITED STATES PATENTS cabinet walls and disposed between spaced flanges on 2,648,584 8/1953 Morton 312/214 the liner and cabinet Walls l the Outer end P the 3,174,642 3/1965 Loewenthal 61 a1 220/9 F P P foam P SFWeS to seal the Insula- 3,243,s55 4/1966 Houvener et a1, 312 214 x n Space ring the foaming process and subse- 3,294,462 12/1966 Kesling 312/214 quently accommodates expansion and contraction 3,370,738 1 Kcsling 2 /9 F stresses as a result of temperature variations to which 3,512,323 1970 HuPfeY 52/309 the cabinet may be subjected, without overstressing of 3,516,566 6/1970 Franck 220/9 F the cabinet walls I 3,588,214 6/1971 Stimamiglio 312/214 3,632,012 1/19'72 Kitson 220/9 F 12 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 CABINET CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to cabinet constructions and in particular to foam stop means for use in cabinet wall constructions having foamed-in-place insulation.

2. Description of the Prior Art In U.S. Pat. issued to R. K. I-Iupfer, No. 3,512,323, owned by the assignee hereof, an insulated wall structure is disclosed having a fiberglass buffer disposed between the trim and the foamed-in-place insulation. In this structure, the liner and cabinet walls are rigidly secured together so that no relative movement therebetween occurs to be accommodated by the fiberglass buffer.

In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,294,462 issued to K. K. Kesling; 3,174,642 of L/oewenthal et al; 3,302,820 of Lander et al; 3,370,738 of Kesling; and 3,684,342 of Jansen, different types of foam stop elements are utilized for limiting the expansion of the foam during the foaming-inplace operation.

In the L/oewenthal et al cabinet construction, a sealing strip is disposed outwardly of the engagement of the liner and cabinet clip portion so that stresses may be transmitted between the liner and cabinet as a result of temperature variation. In Kesling U.S. Pat. No. 3,294,462, the liner is provided with an offset end portion having a distal end extending closely adjacent the confronting end portion of the cabinet with a compressible element disposed therebetween. In Kesling US Pat. No. 3,370,738, a clip is provided for holding the two parallel end portions of the cabinet and liner with the compressible element retained therebetween. In Jansen, the foam insulation engages the turned end of the liner and, thus, the liner would tend to be cracked by a cabinet expansion movement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprehends an improved cabinet construction having an improved foam stop means for sealing the space between the liner and cabinet walls during the foarning-in-place formation of the insulation and arranged to accommodate expansion forces due to subjection of the cabinet to a wide range of temperatures, so as to prevent cracking of the liner as a result thereof.

More specifically, the present invention comprehends an improved cabinet construction including a first wall, a second wall spaced from the first wall to define a first space therebetween provided with rigid foamed-in-place insulation, a flange on one of the walls extending toward the other wall at the end of the space, the flange having a distal edge spaced from the other wall, closure means on the walls spaced outwardly of the flange and extending fully between the walls to define with the flange a second space, and a resilient foam strip in the second space and sealing the closure against expansion of the insulation during foaming-in-place thereof.

The one wall herein is provided with a U-shaped flange opening toward the other of the walls, one leg of the U-shaped flange defining the first named flange and the other leg defining a portion of the closure means.

The foam strip substantially fills the second space to sealingly close the first space between the cabinet walls during the foaming operation and prevents adhesion of the foamed insulation to the other turned end of the liner while accommodating movement of the cabinet relative to the liner as may result from subjection of the cabinet to a wide range of ambient temperatures.

More specifically, the invention comprehends such a cabinet construction adapted to be insulated with foamed-in-place insulation including an inner liner having an outwardly projecting peripheral flange, an outer cabinet having an inwardly projecting and opening generally U-shaped flange arranged to receive the liner flange, and a flexible foam strip in the cabinet flange and overlying the liner flange.

The liner flange may have a plurality of outwardly projecting locating tabs adapted to cooperate with the cabinet flange to positively locate the liner relative to the cabinet prior to foaming insulation in place between the cabinet and the liner.

Adhesive means may be provided for retaining the strip in place between the liner and cabinet walls during the foaming-in-place operation for facilitated manufacture of the cabinet construction.

The foam strip effectively fills the space at the edge of the liner and cabinet walls thereby effectively eliminating the need for antisweat heaters therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator cabinet construction embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the liner and foam strip elements during a first step in the cabinet assemy;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal section taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal section taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the drawing, cabinet construction generally designated 10 is shown to comprise an inner plastic liner 11 and an outer metal cabinet 12 defining therebetween a space 13 in which a body of foamed-in-place insulation 14 is disposed. A foam stop 15 is provided at the front of the space 13 to seal the space against the expanding foam during the foaming process and to provide an improved stress relief for preventing cracking of the liner as may occur in the cabinets of the prior art when the cabinet is subjected to a wide variation of ambient temperatures.

More specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, the cabinet construction 10 comprises a refrigerator cabinet defining a refrigeration space 16 and a freezer space 17 inwardly of the line 11 and selectively closed by front doors 18 and 19, respectively. As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, any form of such cabinet construction is comprehended by the invention, the refrigerator cabinet construction being exemplary only.

As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the foamed-in-place insulation 14 substantially fully fills the space 13. To prevent the foam insulation from flowing outwardly from the space 13 at the front of the cabinet, the foam stop 15 is disposed to extend across the space. Foam stop 15 herein comprises a strip of resilient foam material, such as polyethylene, polyurethane, and the like.

The strip is retained across the end of space 13 by flange 20 on the cabinet wall 12 extending toward the other wall, i.e., liner 11, at the end of space 13. The flange 20 has a distal edge 21 spaced outwardly from the liner to expose a substantial portion of the strip to the foam insulation 14 of space 13. The strip is outwardly retained by an outwardly turned flange 22 at the front end of liner 11 which is provided with a plurality of spacer projections 23 in the form of tabs engaging the cabinet wall for accurately spacing the liner from the cabinet wall.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the cabinet wall defines a second intumed flange 24 forwardly of flange and outwardly abutting the flange l1 and tabs 23. As shown, flanges 20 and 24 may comprise the legs of a U-shaped end portion 25 of the cabinet wall 12 which opens toward liner l1 and which receives the distal tab end 23 of the flange 22 to define a space 26 for receiving the foam stop strip 15.

Strip 15 may be provided along one edge with an adhesive 27 for retaining the strip in place during the foaming operation. As shown in FIG. 2, strip 15 may comprise a plurality of segments extending end-to-end about the front opening 28 of the liner rearwardly of the flange 22.

Thus, the tabs 23 synergistically provide an accurate spacing between the liner and outer cabinet, eliminate the necessity for providing clips to retain the liner during the foaming-in-place operation, provide rigidity in the final cabinet construction, provide relief at the corners of the liner for facilitated installation of the liner into the outer cabinet during assembly, and maintain a front-to-rear positioning of the liner relative to the cabinet by engagement with the outer leg 24 of the cabinet U-shaped portion 25.

Insulation 13 comprises a rigid foam which may illustratively be a urethane foam. The stop strip 15 prevents adhesion of the foam 13 to the flange 22 and, thus, accommodates any forward and rearward movement between the liner and cabinet as may occur by subjection of the cabinet to a wide range of ambient temperatures. As there is no adhesion of the strip 15 to the flange 22, cracking of the liner at the juncture of flange 22 therewith is effectively precluded. Similarly, movement of the cabinet 12 away from liner 11 may occur without stressing the flange 22 by virtue of the nonadhesive engagement between the flange 22 and strip 15. Thus, the foam stop strip 15 provides a three-dimensional stress relief between the liner and cabinet wall upon completion of the foaming-in-place operation effectively avoiding cracking of the plastic liner wall particularly at the front opening 28 as has been found to occur in the prior art cabinet construction.

The uncompressed thickness of the strip 15 may be slightly less than the spacing between the legs 20 and 24 for ease of assembly of the cabinet. When the tabs 23 are fitted within the U-shaped end portion 25 the strip 15 is compressed to fill the voids in the space 26. As the strip 15 substantially fully fills the space 26, voids are eliminated therein, thereby avoiding the need for strip heaters the like to prevent sweating at the front opening 28.

Construction of the flanges herein is extremely simple. The U-shaped flange construction 25 may be readily formed by a suitable sheet metal forming operation and the forming of the flange 22 by conventional plastic forming techniques permitting a low cost manufacture thereof. The liner may be formed by a conventional vacuum forming operation. The tabs 23 may be formed by suitable cutting of the flange 22 as originally formed, thereby permitting removal of scrap material around the edge of the flange while concurrently forming the desirable tabs 23.

The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is illustrative of the broad inventive concepts comprehended by the invention.

Having described the invention, the embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A cabinet construction comprising: a first wall; a second wall spaced from said first wall to define a first space therebetween provided with rigid foamed-inplace insulation, one of said walls defining a generally U-shaped flange extending and opening toward the other wall at an end of said first space, said inner leg having a distal edge spaced from said other wall, the other of said walls defining a turned end portion fitted within said U-shaped flange, said end portion being spaced outwardly of said inner leg and having a projecting portion extending to said one wall to define with said inner leg a second space; and a resilient foam strip having an outer portion compressively retained between said inner leg and said projecting portion of said turned end portion in said second space and extending from said second space to adjacent said other wall in abutment with said turned end portion thereof, said compressed foam strip outer portion urging said projecting portion of said turned end portion against said outer leg, said foam strip being exposed to and sealing said end of said first space against expansion of the insulation during foaming-in-place thereof.

2. The cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said turned end portion includes outwardly projecting locating tabs engaging said one wall for spacing the walls accurately to define said first space.

3. The cabinet construction of claim 2 wherein said locating tabs are within said second space and said foam strip substantially fills said second space.

4. The cabinet construction of claim 3 including adhesive means on said strip retaining the strip in place in said second space during foaming-in-place of the insulation.

5. The cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said first wall comprises an inner liner, and said second wall comprises an outer cabinet.

6. The cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said one wall comprises said outer cabinet, and said other wall comprises said inner liner.

7. The cabinet construction of claim 1 including adhesive means on said strip retaining the strip in place in said second space during foaming-in-place of the insulation.

8. The cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said strip substantially fills said second space.

9. The cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said strip is formed of flexible polyethylene.

10. The cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said strip is formed of flexible polyurethane.

11. The cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein the outer leg of the U-shaped flange comprises a double wall portion.

12. The cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein th uncompressed thickness of said strip is slightly less than the spacing between the legs of the U-shaped flange. 

1. A cabinet construction comprising: a first wall; a second wall spaced from said first wall to define a first space therebetween provided with rigid foamed-in-place insulation, one of said walls defining a generally U-shaped flange extending and opening toward the other wall at an end of said first space, said inner leg having a distal edge spaced from said other wall, the other of said walls defining a turned end portion fitted within said U-shaped flange, said end portion being spaced outwardly of said inner leg and having a projecting portion extending to said one wall to define with said inner leg a second space; and a resilient foam strip having an outer portion compressively retained between said inner leg and said projecting portion of said turned end portion in said second space and extending from said second space to adjacent said other wall in abutment with said turned end portion thereof, said compressed foam strip outer portion urging said projecting portion of said turned end portion against said outer leg, said foam strip being exposed to and sealing said end of said first space against expansion of the insulation during foaming-in-place thereof.
 2. The cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said turned end portion includes outwardly projecting locating tabs engaging said one wall for spacing the walls accurately to define said first space.
 3. The cabinet construction of claim 2 wherein said locating tabs are within said second space and said foam strip substantially fills said second space.
 4. The cabinet construction of claim 3 including adhesive means on said strip retaining the strip in place in said second space during foaming-in-place of the insulation.
 5. The cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said first wall comprises an inner liner, and said second wall comprises an outer cabinet.
 6. The cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said one wall comprises said outer cabinet, and said other wall comprises said inner liner.
 7. The cabinet construction of claim 1 including adhesive means on said strip retaining the strip in place in said second space during foaming-in-place of the insulation.
 8. The cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said strip substantially fills said second space.
 9. The cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said strip is formed of flexible polyethylene.
 10. The cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said strip is formed of flexible polyurethane.
 11. The cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein the outer leg of the U-shaped flange comprises a double wall portion.
 12. The cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein the uncompressed thickness of said strip is slightly less than the spacing between the legs of the U-shaped flange. 